Sometimes I feel so invisible. Maybe you do too. Let me explain.

I am a wife and a mother. I am also a home school mom. Deep down, I know that the tasks and jobs that fill my day are valuable. But sometimes I just feel invisible. Do you ever feel this way, too?

My days are filled to the brim with serving others (mainly little people) in ways that can often seem trivial, mundane, and completely pointless. My work is often undone so very quickly that is seems so very unimportant. Much of my time is spent training and teaching in skills that are so hard to measure. I’m sure many of you can relate!

Thoughts like these start to fill my mind:

“Am I really making a difference? Does anything I do really matter? Does anyone notice how much work I am doing, how much love I am pouring into the lives that surround me, how much effort I am putting into my roles as a mother and wife?”

But then my thoughts turn to God’s word and I know that that those thoughts are not the truth. I remembered the story of Hagar, who after being thrown out of Abraham’s home was wandering in the desert with her hungry, thirsty son. She, too, remembered the truth, that someone saw her.

Something I love about God is that he is so indescribably wonderful that he has many names. And one of his names is El Roi, which translates as “The God Who Sees Me.” Genesis 16:13 says, Hagar said, “She gave this name to the LORD who spoke to her: “You are the God who sees me,” for she said, “I have now seen the One who sees me.” When nobody else cared for her or saw her, she realized that there was her God who saw her.

And guess what? I (and you too!) can be encouraged because this is the same God who still is seeing. He sees me. He sees everything I do. To put this in practical terms, I am choosing to think about Him in these ways…

-He sees when I chose to use kind, patient words with my children instead of being harsh.

-He sees me when I am gentle and humble with my husband instead of being demanding.

-He sees when I care for my home in seemingly meaningless ways (loading the dishwasher once again, Windexing the backdoor that is perpetually covered in fingerprints, making yet another snack)

-He sees when I reach out to a lonely neighbor or friend.

-He sees me when I read the children’s Bible story at breakfast and just hope that some of its message sticks

-He sees me push swings, pull wagons, or play trucks on the floor instead of browsing Facebook.

Ladies, isn’t it encouraging to know that our Heavenly Father is watching over us and truly sees us? And he values all of the little things that we are doing for him. He knows that we are loving our kids and husbands and caring for our homes. He sees how we try so hard to do what is right and to serve these precious lives around us. When I meditate on this truth, it makes my roles and all of these tasks so much more meaningful. It gives me the strength to carry on.

Thank you God that I am not invisible. Thank you for really SEEING me. Thank you for caring about all of the little things in my life. Help me to remember these truths as I go about my busy days.